Phenological Studies of Critically Endangered High Value Medicinal
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Phenological Studies of Critically Endangered High Value Medicinal Herbs: Picrorhiza kurroa and Saussurea costus Insub-Alpine Regions of Garhwal Hiamalya, Uttarakh and India Anand Singh Bisht Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, 246123 Bharsar Pauri Garhwal Uttarakhand, India Key words: Phenology, leaf fall, leaf flush, flowering, Abstract: The study of various periodic behaviours of fruiting, Garhwal Himalaya plant species or the phenology has great significance because it not only provides knowledge about the plant growth pattern but also provides the inferences on the effect of environment and selective pressure on flowering and fruiting behaviour. In this study,an attempt has been made to record such data regarding periods of leaf fall, leaf flushing, flowering, fruiting and all. This was done for a period of two years for two species viz. Picrorhiza kurroa and Saussurea costus of course which were somehow having medicinal properties and Corresponding Author: it was carried out in the VCGS UUHF Bharsar Anand Singh Bisht district of Pauri, Uttarakhand. In the study the leaf fall Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and peak period was found in last part of December, leaf Aromatic Plants, VCSG Uttarakhand University of flushing peak period in the month of march where as Horticulture and Forestry, 246123 Bharsar Pauri flowering and fruiting activity peak period was found Garhwal Uttarakhand, India during the month of May-June and July-August, respectively. So, this type of study will be helpful to give Page No.: 31-36 inferences in future whether the of climate change are Volume: 12, Issue 2, 2019 giving pressure on the periodic behaviour of plant species. ISSN: 1995-4751 Changed phenological behaviour of plant species Botany Research Journal indicates the losing of plant diversity of the district in a Copy Right: Medwell Publications critical level. INTRODUCTION every stage is greatly influenced by a number of environmental factors. The different stages of the In nature it is often seen that each species has a plant species remain completely embedded in an definite period, month, season in a year during which its environmental complex. It is very interesting to note that seeds germinate, seedlings grow or show maximum being fixed at a particular place, the requirement of vegetative growth, leaves fall (if it is deciduous), flushing germination, growth, flowering, fruiting, leaf fall etc of of new leaves, flowering and then fruiting. The study the species are met with at the same place but of of all these periodic behaviour of a species is called course in different times of the year. There is a its phenology. In the life cycle of a plant each and synchronization of phenological behaviour of the species 31 Bot. Res. J., 12 (2): 31-36, 2019 and the various factors of the environment that plants are have described the macro and microscopical characters of spoken of biological clocks. This is mostly regulated by the roots of Saussurea costus while Saklani et al. (2000) external signals from the environment. But the have reported its achene morphology. Several workers interactions of each and every species are different at (Gupta, 1964; Hajra, 1988; Hajra et al., 1995; different stages of their life cycle. Thus, plant Chaudhary and Rao, 2000) have significantly contributed phenological study has great significance because it not towards the morphological characterization of the genus only provides knowledge about the plant growth pattern Saussureain India, including Saussurea costus. but it also provides the idea on the effect of environment Macromorphological parameters like habit, size of plants, and selective pressure on flowering and fruiting behavior size and shape of leaves and capitula and the nature of (Zhang et al., 2006). phyllaries in Saussurea costus have been described by all the above workers. About Picrorhiza kurroa: Picrorhiza kurroa Royle In the Indian systems of medicine Saussurea costus ex Benth. (Family: Scrophulariaceae) native to is used either as a single drug or in combination with Western Himalayan region, between 3000-5000 m other drugs. Its roots are used mainly as an antispasmodic elevation is valued as hepato-protective, antiperiodic, in asthma, cough and also in treatment of cholera, cholagouge and stomachic, antiamoebic, anti-oxidant chronic skin diseases and rheumatism. Its different expectorant etc. (Singh and Kushwaha, 2005). The preparations are also used by Ayurvedic physicians rhizome of Picrorhiza has been traditionally used to treat for the treatment of various ailments like cough and worms, constipation, low fever, scorpion sting, asthma cold, quartan malaria, leprosy, persistant hiccups, and ailments affecting the liver. Picrorhiza kurroa also rheumatism, hair-wash, stomachache, toothache, typhoid known as kutki is found in the North-Western Himalayan fever, etc. It is an important medicine for gout, erysipelas region from Kashmir to Kumaun and Garhwal regions in and promotes spermatogenesis. Saussurea costus has been India. used by different people and ethnic tribes of the Kutkin is the active principal of Picrorhiza kurroa Northern parts of India for the treatment of various and is comprised of kutkoside and the iridoid ailments. The root is also used in Tibetan medicine glycoside picrosides I-III. Other identified active where it is considered to have an acrid, sweet and constituents are apocynin, drosin and nine cucurbitacin bitter taste with a neutral potency. Several traditional glycosides (Stuppner, 1990). Apocynin is a catechol that Tibetan formulae that are used for chronic inflammation has been shown to inhibit neutrophil oxidative burst in of the lungs, cough, chest congestion Hippophae 5 addition to being a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and Eliminator of Lung Inflammation contain while the curcubitacins have been shownto be highly Saussurea as one of the important ingredients. cytotoxic and possess antitumor effects (Simons et al., 1990). MATERIALS AND METHODS About Saussurea costus: Saussurea costus (family: Study area: In general, the climate of the Bharsar Asteraceae) is an erect, robust, pubescent, perennial herb, represents mild summer, higher precipitation and with a stout simple stem 1-2 m high. Leaves membranous, prolonged cold winter season. The climatic factors such scaberulous above, glabrate beneath, auricled at base, as precipitation, temperature, relative humidity and wind, irregularly toothed; basal ones very large, 0.50-1.25 m in association with elevation, slope aspects, drainage, long with a long winged petiole; upper leaves smaller, vegetation, etc. are responsible for the micro-climate of subsessile or shortly petioled; two small lobes at the base this area. Generally, days of Bharsar are fairly warm of these leaves almost clasping the stem. Flower heads followed by cool nights. The area receives adequate stalkless, bluish-purple to almost black, hard, rounded, sunshine hours whereas the growing period is shorter due 2.4-3.9 cm across, often 2-5 clustered together in the to long winter. The area also receives heavy precipitation axils of leaves or terminal. Involucral bracts many, during monsoon and occasional snow fall during winter ovate-lanceolate, long pointed, purple, rigid, hairless. season. The mean monthly weather data for one year Receptacle bristles very long. Corolla about 2 cm long, between is presented in Fig. 1. tubular, blue-purple or almost black. Anther tails The phenological study was carried out for two fimbriate. Achenes curved compressed ca. 8 mm long, tip species of medicinal plants of the VCSG UUHF MAP narrowed with one rib on each face. Pappus brown, field. Observation was made on leaf fall, leaf flushing, double feathery. Roots are stout, dark brown or grey, up flowering and fruiting at one month of interval from to 40 cm long (Hajra et al., 1995). Upadhyay et al. (1993) January 2012-December 2014. 32 Bot. Res. J., 12 (2): 31-36, 2019 30 Maximum temperature Minimum temperature 500 Maximum humidity Minimum humidity Rainfall 450 25 400 ) 350 C 20 300 15 250 perature (° perature 200 m 10 Te 150 100 5 (mm) rainfall (%) Humidity 50 0 0 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec Months Fig. 1: Meteorological data of the study area RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1: Calendar for reproductive phase in P. kurroa Time period Month Temperature (°C) Stages (days) (weeks) (under polyhouse) After observation a record of time period of leaf fall, Young inflorescence 12-15 February (2nd) 26-30 leaf flushing, flowering and fruiting were done for the Inflorescence with species of medicinal plants in a tabular form for a period slightly opened buds 8-10 February (4th) 26-30 of three years. Then the data were analyzed from which Inflorescence with half opened floral buds 16-20 March (3rd) 28-30 some important inferences were made. Inflorescence with fully opened flowers 10-16 April (1st ) 28-33 Seed germination and Vegetative phage: Seed Immature green pods 8-10 April (2nd) 28-33 Mature pods 15-20 April (4th) 28-33 germination started in both species in the 25 days after Close up of mature pod 20-25 May (3rd) 34-36 seed sowing in polyhouse and open condition. Pod ready to dehisce 7-10 June (1st) 34-36 Fully mature dry pod 7-10 June (2nd) 34-36 Leaf fall and leaf flushing activity: The leaves of the Seed - - - Germination (35%) 20-25 Culture lab 25±2 plant are flat, oval and sharply serrated. After the data conditions analysis it was found that leaf fall initiation was a periodic Days from bud 120 days activity of the species. Both the species leaf fall started in formation to seed set approximately the month of November/December with a peak in the last part of January (30%) to first part of February (50%). Polygonum ampliaxicaule all these exhibited flower After shedding of older leaves new leaf initiation starts in initiation in response to increasing length to photoperiod.